The High Sheriff of West Sussex is annually appointed as the sovereign's representative in West Sussex county for all matters relating to the judiciary and the maintenance of law and order.
The oldest office under the crown, the office of High Sheriff is over 1000 years old, with its establishment before the Norman Conquest. The Office of High Sheriff remained first in precedence in the counties until the reign of Edward VII when an Order in Council in 1908 gave the Lord-Lieutenant the prime office under the Crown as the Sovereign's personal representative. The High Sheriff remains the sovereign's representative in the county for all matters relating to the judiciary and the maintenance of law and order. Prior to 1974, there was one High Sheriff for the whole of Sussex. The High Sheriff is appointed annually in March.
Roles and responsibilities
High Sheriffs are responsible in the Counties of England and Wales for duties conferred by the Crown through Warrant from the Privy Council, including:
Attendance at Royal visits to the County
The wellbeing and protection of Her Majesty's High Court Judges when on Circuit in the County and attending them in Court during the legal terms.
The execution of High Court Writs and Orders (which is mainly achieved through the Under Sheriff)
Acting as the Returning Officer for Parliamentary Elections in County constituencies
Responsibility for the proclamation of the accession of a new Sovereign
The maintenance of the loyalty of subjects to the Crown
1974-1975: Wing Commander Geoffrey Harry Briggs, DFC, DL
1975-1976: Donald D Scott
1976-1977: David S W Blacker, DL
1977-1978: Geoffrey M Cresswell-Wall
1978-1979: Peter M Luttman-Johnson
1979-1980: The Hon Henry Edward Boscawen
1980-1981: Leslie Langmead
1981-1982: David I Bosanquet
1982-1983: Peter Langmead, OBE
1983-1984: Edward John Frederick Green
1984-1985: Major General John Cowley, CB, DL
1985-1986: Major General Sir Philip Ward, KCVO, CBE, DL
1986-1987: James Frederick Godman-Dorington
1987-1988: David Hopkinson, DL
1988-1989: Ronald C Langmead
1989-1990: John Richard Bine Morgan-Grenville, DL, of Upperton, Petworth
1990-1991: David W Bowerman, JP, DL
1991-1992: Michael Desmond Sugden, JP
1992-1993: Jeremy Fox Eric Smith, DL
1993-1994: Richard Harry Goring, DL
1994-1995: Peter Longley, OBE, DL
1995-1996: Hugh Wyatt, DL
1996-1997: John Knight, DL
1997-1998: Col Sir Brian Walter de Stopham Barttelot, Bt., OBE, DL
1998-1999: Brian Trafford, DL
1999-2000: Judith Buckland, MBE, DL
2000-2001: Robin R Loder
2001-2002: Graham G Ferguson, DL
2002-2003: Mark W Burrell
2003-2004: Major Mark F H Scrase-Dickins CMG
2004-2005: Roger Reed
2005-2006: Gordon Tregear
2006-2007: Charles Torquil de Montalt Fraser
2007–2008: Colin Peter John Field
2008-2009: Sir Richard Kleinwort
2009-2010: Simon Fairfax Knight
2010–2011: Elizabeth Bennett
2011-2012: David H Tupper Esq DL of Petworth
2012-2013: Andrew John P Stephenson Clarke Esq
2013-2014: D Patrick H Burgess MBE
2014–2015: Jonathan Charles Lucas of Warnham Park, Horsham
2015-2016: Mrs Denise Lesley Anne Patterson of Aldwick Bay, Bognor Regis
2016–2017: Mark Spofforth of Slindon, Sussex
